Candy Canes
by DarkIceAngelFlare
Summary: It was meant to be the happiest week of her life: an engagement party this week, the actual event in the next. So why was Ginny alone in a stall, listening to the man she loved make love to another woman?
1. Third Wheel

**Secret Santa fic for Ambrosia Ice**

**The Unexpected Threesome Challenge.**

**Suit of Cards Challenge. Three of Hearts: Write about a threesome. Alternatively, write about a third wheel.**

**The Holidays Competition. Prompt: "Ginny Weasley loves candy canes"**

**WARNING: Mature situations. Language. Smut.**

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><p>Ginny discovered them by accident. She was out with Luna, doing some shopping for her upcoming engagement party. Hermione had looked stunning in one of her Muggle outfits at a gala earlier this week, so Ginny had dragged her best friend out to find something equally as nice in the daunting world of non-magicals. So really, it was nothing more than coincidence that, while Luna waited in line to pay for their purchases, she had stopped by that particular restaurant and saw them together.<p>

They weren't even doing anything bad, and it's not like it was anything unusual for them to be together, considering they were part of the Golden Trio. Indeed, Ginny had gotten used to them being attached to the hip years ago. She knew it was nothing more than friendship.

However, idle curiosity kept her from simply approaching them. Instead, she cast a quick colour-changing spell on her hair and took the table behind them, where a large potted plant was in the way. One Extendable Ear later, and she was eavesdropping on Harry and Hermione's conversation. They hadn't even put up a privacy ward.

"I told him I wasn't ready, and he knocked it off. He looked pretty annoyed though," Hermione was saying.

"As long as he listens, he can throw all the hissy fits he wants," Harry replied. The sound of a glass being lifted echoed loudly through the flesh coloured wire before Hermione's voice cut in again.

"We can't keep doing this, Harry. He's my boyfriend."

"Is he now?" The mild tone of his voice signalled his anger.

_Were they talking about Ron?_ Ginny wondered.

"You know what I mean."

"No, actually I don't."

_Neither do I,_ Ginny thought.

She heard the rattling of silverware and a thump of wood. Perhaps Hermione had hit the table. She tended to do that when she was annoyed, which happened often around the Weasley girl.

"Harry, would you stop being an ass? I'm being serious here!"

"As am I. When exactly did Ron become your boyfriend?"

_Uh, they've been dating for years, Harry,_ Gin thought, rolling her eyes.

"The same day Ginny became your girlfriend!"

_That's not true._ She and Harry had dated in his sixth year, but Hermione had only been with Ron since after the Battle.

"Ginny isn't my girlfriend and you know it."

_Huh?_

"Oh yes, my bad, she's your fiancée!"

_Oh, right._ That was so sweet of her Harry, preferring to use her new title.

"We aren't engaged yet. It's still only a betrothal."

"You disgust me, Harry."

_Well, that was unnecessarily harsh_, Ginny thought, frowning. Maybe she needed to wean Harry off Hermione – what did he see in her?

A waiter approached and she ordered the daily special distractedly.

"You know what I mean, 'Mi," Harry spoke gently.

Hermione sighed. "I know but I just – I can't keep doing this, Harry. I can't keep pretending."

_Poor Ron; he wouldn't even see it coming_. Ginny loved her brother a lot, but she had always thought that Hermione was too good for him. They had nothing in common other than Harry.

"It won´t be long now. I just need to sort a few more things out and then it will be done.ʺ

"Is it really necessary for you to keep doing this? I'm sick of this farce."

"Mi, we've been through this. The Ministry feared me and they had the power to make me vanish easily enough when the war was over. You work for the Unspeakables; you know how far they'd go for the Hallows. I had to do this, to prove that I was still their pawn, but the goblins assure me that we're just about ready."

_Ready for what?_ What was Harry saying? The Hallows? Why hadn't he mentioned any of this to her?

_Because you're not a part of the Trio. You'll always be an outsider,_ a voice whispered in her head, but she ruthlessly squashed it down. Harry had chosen her, not Hermione or Cho or Parvati or any of the other girls that had thrown themselves at him. He was probably just trying not to stress her out before the engagement.

"I'm sorry for making you do this, Mi," Harry was still speaking through Ginny's internal monologue, "but it'll be over soon. No more lies."

There was silence on the other side of the Ear and during the unwitting intermission, Ginny's waiter brought her order. It was a simple pumpkin soup, accompanied by a large candy cane.

"Compliments of the season," said the waiter when she asked about the confection before she waved him away.

Hermione finally broke the silence. "I can't believe you proposed to her. That was unnecessary."

_Excuse me? How dare Hermione! _

"So that's what this is about?" Harry sighed.

"Don't belittle me! You know how I feel about her!"

"And you know how I feel about Ron."

"That's not the same! I can't stand seeing her smug face and now I have to go to this fucking engagement party and see her lord it over everyone!"

_Fuck you, Hermione!_ Ginny thought furiously_. I do not lord anything over anyone!_ She couldn't wait to see Harry rip into his 'best friend'.

"Please, do you think it's easier than dealing with Ron? He doesn't let an hour go by without reminding everyone that he 'bagged Hermione'. I'm so glad we have combat training together so I can legitimately beat him. He treats you like prize, Mi!"

"Oh, like Ginny doesn't? She just likes you for the fame! Hell, do you know how much Angelina was complaining to me the other day about her? Apparently she pretty much threatened her way onto the Harpies!"

_WHAT?_

"That's not fair," Harry said quietly. "For all her faults, her Quidditch skills are pretty good."

"Was she as good as Oliver Wood? Victor Krum? There are very few that actually made it onto a pro team's first string straight out of school! I'm not saying she's a bad player, but she's nowhere near as good as she should be for the position she has!" Hermione sneered.

"Why are we even discussing this? I don't care about it or her or Ron. Today was supposed to be about us."

…_What did Harry mean?_ Of course he cared about her – they were getting engaged for Merlin's sake!

"Because it will never be just about us! And you just -! There are limits, Harry, of how much you can pull out this whole 'it's only for the moment' thing. How can you justify proposing to her? Throwing an engagement party for her? _Fucking_ her?"

"I've never once touched Ginny! You know that!"

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

_What's going on? Why's Harry saying these things? _

"Mi-!"

"No! I've had enough!"

There was a thudding noise and the sound of paper being slapped onto the table.

"Some days I honestly hate you, Harry Potter. If you'll excuse me, I have a boyfriend to go find."

Ginny hurriedly shoved aside the Ear and grabbed the candy cane, pretending she had been eating it all along. She saw Hermione storm past, but she didn't get far. Just after she passed Ginny's table, Harry bolted after her. Grabbing Hermione by her arm, he dragged her towards the bathrooms.

Ginny didn't hesitate to follow.

Hermione was trying to free herself as they entered the boys' bathroom, but Harry's Auror training had made him far stronger. Ginny would know. She had been held too many times in those arms to forget.

She cast the strongest disillusionment charm she knew before she followed them in, knowing that it would fool neither of them if they truly looked.

But they were too busy with each other to care for more than Harry's quick Muggle repulsion spell on the door.

Harry slammed Hermione against the wall, ignoring her wince and glare.

"Say it again. I dare you," he growled, towering over her.

"What?" she spat. "That I hate you? Because it's true. I hate you for doing this to me, to us!"

_Since when had there been an 'us' between them?_

"You know I love you, Hermione."

_But like a sister… right, Harry?_

"Tell that to Ginny."

Harry had said that there was nothing between Hermione and he except for sibling love… hadn't he?

"Mi—"

"How many times have you told her that she was the one? That you loved her? That you wanted to spend your life with her?" There were tears in Hermione's eyes now.

…No, what Harry had said was that he didn't feel the same way about Hermione as he did about her.

"Not once, Mi, you know that!" He was brushing her tears away now, no longer looming over her.

That was a lie! Harry had said those words to her so many times!

"The only one that I have ever loved is you, Hermione. It was always you."

_Lies, lies, lies. _

"Harry, please, stop this," Hermione pleaded, her eyes dulled. "Let's just end this. I can grow to love Ron. I know it!"

_Yes, she could. She should._

Something dark flitted over Harry's eyes. "Do you really want that?"

"I want to be in a relationship where I don't have to hide my feelings. Where I can fall asleep and wake up next to one person without dreaming of another! I don't want to see another woman next to the person who I love, especially not Ginevra fucking Weasley!" Hermione shoved Harry away from her. "I just – I just want to be happy again. And Ron can give me that."

_Yes, he can,_ Ginny thought, observing her soon-to-be fiancé keeping his distance. _Walk away from her, Harry. _

"Do you really believe that Ron can give you all of that?" Harry asked, not looking at her.

"Yes," Hermione looked relieved, "I do."

Harry's eyes snapped to hers, something angry and malevolent brewing in them. "Let's test that theory, then."

Hermione looked fearful then _(why?)_ and shrunk against the wall. "Please don't—"

"I just want what's best for you," Harry said, smiling pleasantly but his eyes remained cold as he closed the distance between them. "So, before you commit to that piece of shit, let's just make sure you're doing the right thing."

Why was Harry acting like this? He was never this… cold. Evil. Dark.

Harry grabbed Hermione roughly by the chin and dragged her to her tiptoes. "Tell me, Hermione, are you going to let him handle you like this?" He yanked her dress up until it bunched over her bra. "Will you let him touch you here?" He squeezed one of her breasts while firmly holding her gaze. "Or here?" His hand moved down her torso and between her legs, which squeezed around it. "Not even Krum was allowed here, was he, Mi?"

"N-No," Hermione bit her lip. "You know he wasn't."

"Of course not. See? I believe you." Keeping her in place with the hand busy between her legs, he moved the other from her chin to her hair, yanking it back so her throat was bared. "Now, why won't you believe me?"

"You kissed Cho."

"That's not fair. You know we weren't dating then."

"We aren't dating now either."

"Of course we are." Harry gave a closed-eyed smile that screamed sinister intentions.

Hermione paid it no mind. "Then why are you getting engaged to someone else in a week's time?"

"It's only temporary, Hermione."

"I don't care!"

"So you'd rather give yourself to Ronald Weasley, the same bastard who treated us both like shit for years, before you'd see me next to Ginny for a few more days?"

"YES!" Hermione yelled back. "And I should have done it sooner!"

In the next moment, Hermione's underwear had been ripped off and she cried out as Harry lashed out against her physically, sexually and verbally.

"Not even in anger should you EVER say that!" Harry growled as he pressed his fingers against her incessantly. "I would never hurt you like that!"

Ginny had never seen Harry like this before. Hell, they had never had any sexual contact at all before! _He said he was waiting until the wedding!_

Hermione tried to say something but Harry yanked her hair again and it turned into a cry of pain.

"Have you forgotten why I call you 'Mi' while that bastard doesn't even have enough brain cells to think of a nickname?"

Hermione had tears in her eyes as she looked up at him, but her legs had fallen open just a bit more.

"It's because you're mine. My one, my only, my Mi." He let go of her hair and cupped her face instead. "And I. Don't. Share."

He kissed her lips roughly and Hermione eagerly responded. Ginny watched as their tongues clashed in a fury that had never been present in the gentle kisses Harry had bestowed upon her and could just barely hold back the sob as Hermione wrapped her legs around Harry's waist and he easily lifted her up against the wall.

Hermione's lips were wet but her eyes had dried, brightened by Harry's words, as she pulled away and cast a spell that had their clothes fluttering to the ground.

"I love you, Hermione," Harry whispered as he pressed tender, fervent kisses to her chest and throat. "Only you. Forever."

There were no need for unnecessary words between them, Ginny noticed as her tears began to fall. Just looks that made her heart ache, because she had never seen Harry look at her with such devotion.

"I'm sorry," they whispered to each other as their bodies met in the most intimate of embraces and Ginny could stand it no more. The door was locked so she moved into a stall to hide away from the sight she had never thought she would see. But she couldn't shut the door and she couldn't block out the sounds they made.

The sounds of sex, mixed with moans and declarations of love burnt through her, yet the feeling that came to her wasn't betrayal but… arousal.

Her hand trembled and she gripped the candy cane that she had absentmindedly brought with her tighter. Against her will, her eyes glanced of the stall and she saw Hermione sitting on a sink, Harry practically worshipping her body with his mouth and hands.

It should have made her queasy or disgusted, but all she could feel was heat. The candy cane was warmed by her hand, and as Hermione cried out and begged for Harry to go faster, she made a decision.

Fuck it. She wasn't going to get laid by Harry anyway.

She came at the same time as Hermione, but she had to quieten her cries with her tshirt and not with Harry's mouth. No one caught her as she slumped tiredly from her release, and while Harry comforted the one he _truly_ loved, Ginny was left alone to wonder why she hadn't even tried to imagine herself in Hermione's place.


	2. Losing Battle

**Secret Santa fic for Ambrosia Ice**

**Suit of Cards Challenge. Six of Spades: write about Ginny Weasley.**

**The Holidays Competition. Prompt: "Ginny Weasley loves candy canes"**

**WARNING: Language.**

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><p>Ginny smiled at Neville from Harry's arm as he came up to greet them and wish them well on their upcoming engagement.<p>

"It's about time," Neville joked and Harry laughed.

Just past him, Ron was talking to Seamus at the buffet table. His arm was around Hermione's waist as she sipped her wine disinterestedly. She was wearing another beautiful dress (had Harry paid for that?) in a pretty shade of blue (it wasn't the light shade Harry preferred) that fell to around mid-thigh (far too much skin to be decent).

Ginny recalled the odd look in Harry's eyes when Ron and Hermione had shown up at the party, which had only abated when Ginny had asked Hermione why she was limping. There had been a sardonic edge to Harry's tone when he spoke to Ron, but it was so subtle that Ginny only noticed because she was hyper-aware of his actions after what she had seen earlier that day. Hermione's smile had become a bit brighter as the boys' conversation progressed.

Neither of them suspected her. Why would they? She was acting like she always did, which is why she knew it was hopeless.

She could rage, and scream, and cause a scene right here, but Ginny would be the only one who would suffer. Harry had obviously been planning this for a while, had already chosen Hermione. Even if she accused him now of cheating on her, it wouldn't stop it from happening nor did she believe that it could harm him now. Five years out of school and Harry was already the most respected member of the Wizengamot. With his mastery in DADA and the speculation that he was going to be the new Head Auror, no one would bat an eyelash at her words.

Perhaps that had been the plan all along.

But a Weasley doesn't just give up. There were ways to win Harry over and even if they failed, it would still cause them some hurt.

Already, her mother was descending on Hermione, spurred on by hints from Ginny that she was cheating on Ron. Harry might be untouchable, but his muggleborn mistress was not.

She leaned against Harry in her bright yellow dress as Neville departed.

"Are you tired?" Harry asked, looking at her with a smile.

"Not really," she replied. "I just like this position."

"You know I don't like PDA," he replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"But we're getting married, Harry," she replied, moving so that her breasts pressed against his chest. "There's no reason to be ashamed of showing our love to people."

"Can we not?" Harry pulled away from her slightly. "I'd rather we do this in private, where none of my bosses, and _your parents_, can see."

"Don't you love me, Harry?"

"You know how I feel about you, Ginny."

"Then say it!"

Harry winced at the volume and looked at her as if hurt. "Ginny… do you want to talk in private? Something is obviously bothering you."

"Just tell me that you love me, Harry," Ginny pleaded, not caring that people were starting to stare.

"Ginny," Harry said, cupping her face (but the touch was soft as if she would break and she wanted to shatter at his feet, just to see if he would pick up the pieces), "I really—"

"Hello, Ginny, Harry. Did you know that people call you Hinny?"

Ginny loved Luna, she really did, but at that moment she wanted to hex her into oblivion.

"Hi, Luna," Harry greeted her (was that relief in his eyes?), moving to shake her hand. "Thanks for coming."

"I brought a gift," Luna replied, handing it to Ginny.

"That's the last of our guests," Harry said, rubbing his hands together. "I'll be over by Ron for a bit, okay?"

"Why do you need to talk to Ron?" Ginny snapped.

Harry raised his eyebrow. "I need his last mission report for the portfolio Kingsley asked for. And he's my best mate."

Ginny scoffed quietly as he left.

"You shouldn't ask questions you don't want to hear the answer to," Luna said, her piercing blue eyes drilling into Ginny.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny replied, glancing curiously at the plain black box. "What's this?"

"An engagement gift. The actual engagement is only next week, I know, but I thought you needed this now."

Ginny opened it as she walked beside her friend. "'A Wizard's Guide to Sielgenote'? What are they?"

"They're marvellous beings that will only accept one mate their entire lives. Please read it. It's quite enlightening."

"Okay…" Ginny said, frowning slightly.

"How was your time alone? Did you enjoy it?"

"What are you talking about? I was with you then Mum the whole day."

"Are they having a row?" asked Luna, glancing at something behind Ginny.

"Dress like a harlot and it reflects badly on my son! Maybe the rumours are true! Why can't you just wear robes like a normal witch instead of all this Muggle nonsense?" Molly was speaking at an increasingly loud volume to Hermione, who was looking incensed.

"If the wizarding world wants to live in the dark ages, don't drag me down into it! In case you've forgotten, I'm a muggleborn!"

"Mrs Weasley—"

"Call me mum, Harry, dear."

"Could you maybe do this some other time? We're here to celebrate and Mi's clothes are actually quite normal, right, Ron?"

"Hermione's fine, mum," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Harry, it's inappropriate for you to call another girl so informally after you've committed to Ginny!" Molly scolded, finding another target for her ire.

"Shouldn't you go stop them?" asked Luna.

Ginny shrugged, closing the box.

"There are sweets at the bottom," Luna said, opening it again. "You'd do well to remember that." She handed over a bag of candy canes.

Ginny's face reddened as she flashed back to that afternoon. "I don't like candy canes!"

"Oh?" Luna replied, tilting her head. "I thought you loved them after today."

She abruptly walked away.

Ginny was alone, with nothing but candy canes and the sounds of Harry and Hermione's voices mingling in the background.


	3. Tossed Aside

**Secret Santa fic for Ambrosia Ice**

**Suit of Cards Challenge. ****Two of Hearts: Write about soulmates**.

**The Holidays Competition. Prompt: "Ginny Weasley loves candy canes" (in the end, it became ironic)**

**WARNING: Language.**

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><p>Candy canes were adopted from Muggles. Ginny's dad had once said that they served as a reminder to lead a sinless life. How utterly ironic.<p>

The peppermint taste was meant to be refreshing. Ginny only found it be bitter.

Another muggle fact: they were created to keep children quiet. Ginny had found her silence in them.

So many people had coming knocking on her door, but she had ignored them all. What use did she have for their sympathy now? Harry was gone. Was it Hermione's idea for them to elope just before their engagement ceremony?

She took another bite of a candy cane. Looks like they were all she had left. Even Luna had deserted her.

_"You knew all along, didn't you?"_

_Luna stared at Ginny unimpressed as the redhead paced in her living room. "You're my best friend! How could you not tell me that Hermione was sleeping with Harry?"_

_"They are my best friends too," Luna said, taking a sip of tea. "The only reason you know is because of me anyway."_

_Ginny stared at her. "Excuse me?"_

_"I took you to that mall on purpose, you know. It isn't the first time either. I technically let you gate-crash over twenty of their dates before. This is just the first time you noticed."_

_Ginny swallowed. "How long have you known?"_

_Luna didn't reply. Instead she asked, "Have you read that book I gave you?"_

_"This isn't the time for your stupid imaginary animals, Luna! My engagement is falling apart!"_

_Luna sighed. "Please leave."_

_"What?"_

_"I'm taking a side," Luna said, shrugging her shoulders, "and it's not yours. Leave."_

_Ginny's eyes narrowed. "So this is what our friendship is worth? After all the times we've been through, that I've helped you-!"_

_"I've repaid my debts," Luna cut across her. "I told you from the start not to go for Harry. I've given you ample warnings and opportunities to discover Harry's infidelity."_

_"But—"_

_"You were never a really friend anyway. You used to call me Looney too, but Harry and Hermione never did. Hermione and Harry gave me a place to belong, but you only remembered me when it suited you. You never gave a damn about my interests, but they did."_

_"This is about that stupid book?"_

_"Sielgenote, translated into English, means 'soul mates'. It wasn't stupid; it was meant to be informative. It would have shown you that, from all the signs, there is an unbreakable bond between the two of them that neither can control."_

_"So I'm just supposed to roll over and let Hermione take Harry away from me?"_

_"Do what you want. Just get out of my house."_

Ginny should have listened. She had confronted Harry, confronted Hermione, and had come out the loser both times. They were gone now, to America where Britain couldn't touch them. The whole country was in shambles following their Golden Boy's departure. Many blamed it on her; she had received a ton of Howlers.

She hadn't heard a single word of any of them.

The Harpies had sent an owl. She was no longer on the starting line-up. Looks like Hermione had been right there too.

Hermione had always been right, hadn't she? She had been right for Harry from the start, had been the one set against being Harry's mistress, had actually tried to be civil when Ginny had confronted her.

If Hermione hadn't been fucking Harry over the past couple years, maybe Ginny might have been ashamed of her own behaviour during the fight. But, really, who could blame her for giving the upstart muggleborn a black eye and using far too many dark hexes than would be appropriate for a light witch?

She had paid for it anyway. While Hermione had refused to raise her wand except to negate the worst of the curses, Harry had no such qualms. She had woken up in St Mungo's to the news that their engagement had been cancelled and how was she going to pay for these medical bills when her Gringotts account was closed? Oh, and that's not forgetting the Wizengamot trial when she had to explain why she had tried to cast a Cruciatus.

Ginny shut her eyes as tears welled up in them, the same images playing in her mind over and over.

Harry casting a Protego as he rushed into Hermione's townhouse. The look of anguish on his face when he had seen Hermione. Hermione telling him to stay out of it, that it wasn't his fight. Harry turning to Ginny, fury so fierce on his face that he had looked inhuman. And over and above all that, the image of the two of them kissing after a rehearsal dinner, with Harry whispering words of devotion against Hermione's lips.

The confection turned to dust in her mouth as she threw the empty packet away. She had nothing anymore.

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><p><strong>I'm so confused by the reviews I've received. Were my explanations too subtle? This was not a Ginny bashing fic. Allow me to explain some things to my guest reviewers:<strong>

**I didn't intend to paint Ginny as a villain. If that's what you take from this, alright, but it wasn't the intention. I tried to show that Ginny had been blinded by her own devotion to Harry that she had refused to heed the signs of his lack of interest. I also tried to show that Harry was a superb actor in this, and that he had conscientiously took a leaning towards a Grey/Dark side that the Light-biased Britain did not approve of, hence his leaving. I wanted to show that he knowingly used Ginny, as Hermione had Ron, but he did it without remorse. On the other hand, for all that Hermione had said about Ginny, she was so ashamed by her actions that she couldn't fight Ginny, even though it's been shown that she had the anger to do so. She even tried to keep Harry out of the fight, as the first chapter pointed out his vindictive side. Ginny going before the Wizengamot, losing access to her account etc. - that was Harry's revenge, and I neither justify it nor condone it. No one is perfect, not even soul mates. **

**In the end, what you take from this is up to you. The pairing is stated as Harry/Hermione so if you came here for Hinny... why? O.o**


End file.
